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Why you need to give us documents
As you complete your application, we’ll ask you to provide information and certain supporting documents. We need supporting documents to confirm information you give us in your application. We can’t assess your application without them. We may also ask you for more details after you submit your application.
What documents you must give us
We’ll tell you which information and documents you must give us before you can submit your online application. We list the documents you have to provide in the required task list.
If you complete a paper application, we’ll tell you at each question what information or document we need.
You must give us documents we ask you for, before or when you submit your application. They’ll help us prove the following:
- your age and identity
- your partner’s details, if you have one
- your bank account details
- your tax file number
- proof of your Australian residence, if you’ve lived outside Australia.
If you’ve already provided these, you may not need to do so again. We’ll tell you what we need.
We may ask you to bring documents to prove your identity to a service centre. We must confirm your identity before you can submit an application.
Once you have provided these documents, we can start assessing your application. Call the Older Australians line if you’re not sure which documents you need to provide.
What documents you may need to give us
Which documents we may need depends on your circumstances. We’ll tell you in the application which documents you must give us.
| Circumstances | Example documents |
|---|---|
| Relationships | You may need to give us separation details. |
| Residence details if you've lived outside Australia |
You may need to give us any of these:
|
| Real estate details |
You may need to give us:
We may also need declarations from the other party if you're using real estate that is either:
|
What documents a nominee may need to give us
If you’re dealing with us on someone’s behalf, you’ll need to complete the Authorising a person or organisation to enquire or act on your behalf form.
If you have Power of Attorney, you will also need to give us all of these:
- a copy of the legal document and medical evidence
- photo identification, such as an Australian driver licence or valid passport
- a letter or signature with their agreement.
If there’s more than one Power of Attorney, they must all provide a letter or signature with their agreement.
If you’re acting on behalf of someone who doesn’t have the capacity to make their own decisions, you also need to give us both of these:
- a letter or the medical evidence of their incapacity from a relevant professional, such as a treating doctor, nurse, case worker or social worker
- a copy of the order that you hold guardianship, financial management or administration of the person you’re acting on behalf of.
You don’t need to give us legal documents to set up a nominee arrangement that doesn’t have Power of Attorney.
When we may need documents after you apply
After you apply, we’ll assess your circumstances. If we need more information, we’ll ask you for it. We’ll send a letter to your myGov inbox if you have one. If you don’t, we’ll send you this request in the mail.
We’ll put your application on hold while we wait for the information.
You need to provide the information within 14 days. If you don’t, we may reject your application. Call the Older Australians line if you’re having trouble providing the information.
We may review your loan each year. If we do, we’ll ask you to complete the Home Equity Access Scheme review form.
How to submit your documents
You can upload documents in your Centrelink online account or the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app.
Read how to submit your Centrelink documents online.
You can also give them to us by mail or at a service centre.